Meeting with Naveen Patnaik just a courtesy call, says Jayalalithaa

Chennai: Triggering speculation of a possible Third Front alliance, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today shared dais with his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa in the Centenary Auditorium of the Madras University in Chennai today. They also met later at Ms Jayalalithaa's residence.

Mr Patnaik, on a 2-day visit to Chennai, had said yesterday that Ms Jayalalithaa should head the proposed sub-committee of chief ministers that would examine the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC). However, after the meeting today, Ms Jayalalithaa said that that is not for her to decide.

Mr Patnaik and Ms Jayalalithaa are the two non-Congress chief ministers who have opposed NCTC in its present form.

The Odisha chief minister's visit, his first to the city, had triggered speculation of a political realignment ahead of the Presidential polls scheduled in June. Mr Patnaik had said that his party had sought the views of its Members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly to decide its strategy. However, Ms Jayalalithaa said that the meeting was just a courtesy call from Mr Patnaik, who is like her brother.